Doesn’t everyone find a hunk of wild boar meat buried in the freezer?! Apparently, when I was away in February, Hank decided that when I returned, I should make ragù al cinghiale and asked one of our local supermarkets to order a mini wild boar roast from D’Artagnan.

Many years ago, Hank and I traveled to Tuscany for a family trip, and one of the meals we ate included pappardelle al cinghiale. Hank immediately decided I needed to figure out how to make this at home. Back then, there were not so many recipes online, so it became a real project! I went through every Italian cookbook I had and found only a few recipes for wild boar ragù. I ordered 5 pounds of wild boar stew meat and went to work. I liked, but didn’t love, the first couple recipes I tried. But there were good elements of each. So I tried my own version, taking aspects of each, and came up with a winner! Every winter I make this recipe once, and then it yields enough for a few dinners that make us feel as though we’re back in Tuscany.

I realize this might not be the most practical recipe to offer right now. However, I bet this recipe would still be good with pork or beef. If you try either of these, I’d love to hear how it turns out! However, if you’re really determined, you can order wild boar from D’Artagnan (link here). I’ve not had to order directly from them because I have butchers that have been able to get it, but I have used the stew meat and I’ve cut up the mini roast, as I did this time.

This is a bit of a project because you have to make the tomato sauce base first. I usually do this the day before. You will have more of the tomato sauce base than you need, but it can be frozen and used later with various additions to make a wide variety of pasta sauces. The ragù itself also yields a lot of sauce, but it freezes well, of course, so you can enjoy this dinner more than once.

Traditionally this is served with a wide fresh pasta, such as pappardelle. (And if you have the time, that’s another project you could try!) But given the situation these days, don’t hesitate if all you have is dried pasta.

Ragù al Cinghiale

Basic Tomato Sauce (more than needed for this, but can be used in other things, too)

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, sliced
½ teaspoon salt
½ medium carrot, shredded
1 Tablespoon dried thyme
2 cans (28-ounce) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand (do this in a large bowl, and beware – they can squirt when you squeeze them!)

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering and fragrant. Add the onion and garlic, sprinkle with the salt, and sauté, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent. Add the carrot and thyme, and continue to sauté until the carrot is soft and the onions are beginning to turn golden. Add the tomatoes with the juice and stir to scrape up any bits that might be sticking to the bottom. Turn the heat down to maintain a simmer and cook until it reaches the consistency of hot cereal, checking frequently to make sure it is not sticking on the bottom.

Cinghiale ragù (can be made ahead and reheated while pasta water comes to a boil)

This will generously sauce 2 pounds of pasta.

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1½-2 pounds wild boar meat, cut into 1-inch cubes if not bought as stew meat
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
2 teaspoons fresh sage, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup dry red wine
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups tomato sauce base (from above)

In heavy Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering and fragrant. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté until the onion is softened. Brown the cubes of meat patiently on all sides – which will have to be done in stages so you don’t crowd the pot – and remove to a bowl, leaving the vegetables in the pot. As you are doing this, be sure the vegetables are not beginning to burn.

Add the anchovy paste, garlic, tomato paste, rosemary, sage, crushed red pepper flakes, cloves, and cinnamon. Stir for 1-2 minutes to cook gently.

Add the wine and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any bits that have gotten stuck. Add the balsamic vinegar and tomato sauce base, and stir to combine.

Return the meat to the pot with any accumulated juices, and adjust the heat to simmer for 1½-2 hours until meat gives when poked with a fork. Be sure to check frequently and adjust the heat as needed.

Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Pulse in food processor to shred the meat, in batches if necessary. At this point you can refrigerate or freeze the sauce if not using immediately, or return the sauce to the pot and keep warm. Toss with pasta, fresh if possible.

Blog

Ragù al Cinghiale (Wild Boar)